By Night My Sun
by Americana Psychotica
Summary: Redemption does not come easy, but when the Goddesses' chosen warrior Sheik has been ordered to guide falls prey to his devouring shadow, he is forced to recognize that his humanity is not lost, and redemption may very well be found in love.
1. Doubts

He inhaled deeply, then yawned, getting a laugh from the fairy perched above him. Wrinkling his nose, he glared up at her.

"Don't you have something to do other than laugh at me?" Navi fluttered down to his shoulder, hands on hips, looking thoughtful.

"Weeell...if you could spare a few Rupees..."

"Navi!" The fairy flipped her hair over her shoulder and pouted.

"Liiiink. Come on, we've been adventuring for three weeks straight, and we saved two Sages already! That's got to be a record or something – we deserve a break, and _I _need a new dress!" Link gaped at her, oblivious for a moment to the prickling under his skin as the newcomer materialized beside him.

"You have done well, Link..." He tensed sharply and turned to face the Sheikah, eyes narrowed slightly. Sheik's red eyes showed no more emotion than they usually did. Navi huffed and returned her hands to her hips.

"Of _course _he did! He's Link! Honestly. You shouldn't question his abilities!" She flew into the Sheikah's face to make the point, glowering at him. The Sheikah sighed, but there was a faint hint of mirth in his features.

"Perhaps you are right – and she is in one thing, Link; you do deserve a break of some sort. It needn't be long, but even you cannot go on for long without rest." The Hylian hero scowled.

"I thought you said we needed to hurry," he snapped, folding his arms. Navi's wings fluttered and wilted, and instantly Link's shoulders slumped as he winced.

"Sorry. You're right, Navi...you too, Sheik," he added, mouth twisting bitterly. The Sheikah inclined his head in acceptance of the apology. Navi perked up again.

"We should visit Malon! It'll be fun!" Link snorted and shook his head, smiling affectionately at his friend. The fairy was already off ahead of him, gliding down towards Kakariko, a nonstop stream of ideas for their 'vacation' filling the quiet. The Sheikah moved back into the shadow of the mountain, fingers curling around the smooth grain of the Deku nut. The Hero of Time didn't move immediately to follow the fairy, instead saying, "I hope you're here to do more than be cryptic and offer minimal help." Sheik narrowed his eyes but didn't answer – nor did he try to leave, some bizarre urge to soothe Link's ruffled ego locking him in place.

"I help as I am able," he replied quietly, knowing full well that the Hylian could hear him. Link snorted and strode down the mountain without another word, falling easily into a brisk pace that spoke to his ease with the unstable terrain. The Sheikah watched him go, mouth twisting into an unseen frown. The shadows around him shifted and chimed as the cloaked forms materialized, one after another, nothing but the weird, white enamel masks to be seen of them.

"Fallen," they intoned as one, their masks chiming with every motion. The frown turned into a sneer as the wrappings were torn away with a hard tug of magic from the foremost creature.

"Ascendants," he hissed in a barely polite tone, fingernails biting into his palms. The Ascendants chimed as one and swayed.

"The Hero is doing marginally better than expected, but we are not convinced of your worthiness." His fists clenched tighter as he struggled to compose himself, the muscles of his back painfully tensed.

"And?" he growled.

"The third temple will tell all. Return to the shadows, Fallen." And they melted away, their masks seeming to blaze against the darkness before they winked out like dying stars, one by one. Sheik slowly unclenched his muscles, slouching against the rock wall and exhaling softly, pain throbbing dully between his eyes as he forced himself back into the darkness he so abhorred.

* * *

Link watched Navi dance across the table, much to Malon's amusement, over the cake Malon had presented them with some moments earlier. He wasn't entirely sure when Navi had learned how to dance so...ah, strangely, but it was amusing nevertheless. Talon thumped him on the shoulder as he guffawed, oblivious to the slight wince the Hylian made in response. Ingo slunk around the edges of the room, occasionally cracking a smile when he wasn't dodging Link's gaze. The blonde sighed; he had never exactly liked Ingo, but he didn't want the man to fear him, either.

"I'm going to bed, Navi – don't eat all the cake, you'll get sick." The fairy chimed an agreement, digging into the mountain of a cake slice Malon had given her as he slid out of the house, padding toward the corral. Epona met him at the gate, butting her head against his shoulder as he slid down against the fence onto the pile of hay he'd made a nest in.

"Hey, girl," he murmured, stroking her velvety nose as he stared at the sky.

Seven years. Seven years since Ganondorf had used him and the Princess to enter the Sacred Realm. Seven years of suffering while he'd slept, seven years of fruitless harvests, endless murders, terror at every bump in the night. No one, not the Hylians, the Zoras, the Gorons, not even the Kokiri had been spared, and he'd – he could have _prevented _this, couldn't he have?

"Fat chance, Link," he muttered, head falling back against the fence.

"You were just a kid..." And yet, he couldn't help but think he _should _have been able to stop this from happening. His dreams were no solace; they showed him a hundred wars, a thousand battles, a never-ending stream of victories and defeats, and every fight he was in, every desperate clash with the demon known as Ganon, he had some impossible strength he lacked now.

"Maybe I'm not who everyone thinks I am?" He directed the inquiry at the horse who has settled on the other side of the fence. She snorted and tossed her head, apparently unimpressed with his self doubt. He laughed weakly.

"You're right – the Princess wouldn't have had that dream about me if I wasn't the Hero, huh?" Epona whinnied softly and lowered her head against the grass, eyes fluttering shut. Taking the hint, Link fell silent, burrowing into the hay and letting sleep wash over him.

* * *

For all his dreams, they seemed to be waning; instead, he waited in darkness, flinching away from the red and gold lights that materialized in the gloom, teasing him, leading him deeper into the darkness, closer to some unimaginable horror. He could feel it – the intense cold in his very bones, the sensations of ice and fire warring under his skin, making him feel as if he could shatter with an unwary touch. But when he backed further into the darkness, he heard it – fleeting harp notes, hanging in the air and leading him away from the temptation of the dancing lights. But he couldn't seem to find the source of the music, and so he chased it, deeper into the darkness, losing all sense of self and time, and then-

"Link!" He gasped and shot into a upright position, breathing hard. Navi squeaked and hid in Epona's mane.

"Sorry! You said you wanted to go at sun-up, and the sun's up – it has been for a few hours now-" The Hylian let out an admittedly undignified squawk and struggled out of his nest of hay and blankets, trying to pull on his gauntlets, shield, sword, and assorted miscellanea in the process.

"Why didn't you wake me sooner!" Navi huffed.

"I was trying! It was like trying to wake up a rock! It's easier to wake Talon!" He gaped at her and swatted her away, managing to fold the blankets haphazardly as he stumbled up to the main house, Navi complaining in his ear the entire time. Malon giggled at her friend's messy hair and bleary eyes, accepting the blankets with a smile.

"Do you want some lunch, Link? I can spare some soup before you go, if you want." He shook his head, yanking his hat onto his head.

"I have to get to Zora's Domain to check on Princess Ruto and King Zora," he explained quickly, looking around frantically for the Ocarina of Time. Malon pointed silently to where the instrument hung on a delicate gold chain at his hip, struggling not to laugh at his awkwardness. He scowled at the instrument and tucked in back into his tunic pocket.

"Have you heard any news from the Zoras over the years?" She shook her head, looking over at Ingo and Talon, who both echoed her negative response. Link sighed.

"Fine – just try to keep an eyes on the news from the villagers. I'll try to come by after I've secured the Zoras." He stumbled from the house, ignoring Navi to whistle for Epona. The horse jumped the gate and trotted over to him, barely slowing as he swung up onto her back and kneaded her forward out of the ranch.

* * *

He stopped at Kakariko in hopes of hearing more news of the Zoras there, but again came up empty. Unease was rapidly taking control of his confidence and draining it as he circled back toward the river, tying Epona to the tree overlooking the entrance. Navi bobbed next to his ear, looking over at the ruined gate to Castle Town.

"Are you sure you don't want to try the Ghost Merchant before we go?" She asked for the fifth time, trying to keep a hold on his hat as Link dove into the river and swam against the current toward Zora's Domain.

"Navi, of all the untrustworthy people I could ask, you want me to ask the creepiest one?" She shrugged, squeaking when a near miss from an Octorok almost dislodged her.

"He seems to have a lot of knowledge about Ganondorf! Maybe he'd know is all I'm saying – be _careful_, Link! This is a new dress! I don't want to get it wet yet!" She wailed at the top of her lungs, knowing full well that Link was already tired and in no mood to deal with her vanity.

"Shush – what is that?" She climbed to the top of his head and looked up, eyes widening.

"It's – it's snow!" She leaned over to stare down at his deadpan expression.

"Link? Yoo-hoo!" She waved in front of his eyes. "Anybody home?"

"Snow...Farore help me..." She sat up and flew down to look at him properly, concerned.

"Link, are you all right?" He nodded dully, beginning to move again. She flew after him, concern growing the closer they got.

"Link, are you sure – oh my Goddess!" Link echoed her in silence, eyes wide.

Zora's Domain was frozen solid. Link slid down the metal ladder, flinching at the frost that coated his palms. Crouching, he tapped the ice, swallowing hard. Navi floated around his head, calling, "Hello? King Zora? Princess Ruto? Reyo, Reuna? Zeri?" She flew ahead of him as he fumbled the small spell release for Din's Fire into his palm, sliding a little as he got into position.

_Lady Din, grant me your fire and banish this thrice damned cold-_ Not the most gracious prayer, but it gave him the results he wanted; fire unfurled like a rose beneath him and shot up and out in a wash of blazing walls – but the ice was a solid as ever. To his horror, he _had _melted some of the ice – but only enough to show him with sickening clarity the reality of the Zoras' doom.

They were suspended in the ice, flies caught in diamond coloured amber, eyes wide with shock and horror. He gasped and stumbled back, slipping on the ice and ice melt, tripping over the edge of dry land and falling back hard, breathing becoming unbearably fast.

_Calm, calm down, calm _down, _Link! _

Navi's scream cut through his panic; he struggled to his feet and ran up to the king's chamber, skidding to a halt at the sight before him.

A block of weird, red ice, transparent enough to show the strangely serene features of Kinng Zora, staring blindly out at them. Link's heartbeat thundered in his ears as he approached slowly, running a hand over the surface of the burning cold ice.

"What in Farore's name happened here..." Navi stuttered a weak reply, but it went unheard. Link was already running, off of the ice and into the freezing water, headlong into Jabu-Jabu's Fountain. Navi followed as closely as she could, going around and past him to fly up above the Fountain.

"He – he's gone." Link swallowed hard. Ice floes and the telltale bubbles proclaiming an Octorok's presence were all that remained in the fountain now-

"Hey, Link! That cavern – if we use the ice floes, we can reach it now!" The blonde warrior strode to the edge of the massive iced over altar where Jabu-Jabu once lay, looking out over the dark water.

Navi was right; there was that cavern they'd once wondered about, when they'd first met Ruto and retrieved the Zora's Sapphire. Ruto had said it was an abandoned shrine to Nayru, that only the eldest members of the Zoras ever visited it. Navi drifted to the entrance, looking down at the floes.

"Be careful, Link! The currents are making these drift in a circle – if you don't time your jumps, you'll fall in." Link shivered, chest constricting. Ice – water – unending darkness that devoured and strangled, smothered-

_Stop, just jump, go, go, go! _His first jump was glancing, and he slid almost too far; judicious backpedaling almost sent him over the edge against, one foot actually touching the water before he righted himself. Arms akimbo, he carefully navigated near the edge of the floe, speeding up as he leaped from one to the other, not bothering to try to pause and balance with each floe, Navi's cries of, "You can do it!" ringing in his ears. He almost didn't make the final jump; his entire lower half was soaked as he scrabbled against the rock, struggling to pull himself onto dry land, where he collapsed, breathing harshly.

"You did it!" He looked up at her through sweaty, matted bangs and groaned, letting his eyes fall shut.

He finally opened his eyes to Navi performing a Hylian folk dance on his chest, attempting – and failing – to sing the accompanying tune on key and effectively deafening him.

"And the old king sleeps, and the fish don't stir, and the curtains of water close over the old Zora door –YOU'RE AWAKE! Don't ever scare me like that again!" He barely contained a yelp when she kicked him in the chin and flipped into the air, scowling down at him. Rubbing the offending spot, he scowled back.

"I don't have wings Navi," he snapped, "and until I grow some, that kind of exercise is going to wear me out. Pissy overzealous firefly..." Navi gasped and actually whimpered; Link flinched and cursed his innately defensive responses, mumbling a weak apology. Navi fluttered overhead for a moment, then drifted into the cavern without another word. Link followed, head bowed and body so cold.

* * *

The dagger spun across the table, its twin flying hilt over blade to become embedded into the wall across from the throne, slicing the thrown fruit neatly in two. The nearest hag screeched a laugh and swiped the mangled fruit from its pierced death throes, tossing it negligently into the cauldron between her and her sister. The cackles and thrown ingredients seemed erratic enough, but one might note the sweat beading each haggard brow, the sloppy addition of messily chopped roots, the shaking hand emptying tiny vials of seeds and dusts into the boiling cauldron. In defiance to their nerves, their voices were steady and shrill; the chanting did not falter, even as the cauldron rocked and howled with each new ingredient.

Koume clucked sharply when Kotake dropped too much stale egg loaf into the crackling beetle wings mixture, mouth twisting into a grimace.

"Pay attention, sister! No mistake may be made, not now!" Kotake hissed an oath at her twin but didn't reply, focusing more on the dry mixtures she was measuring and combining. Both felt the shift of power in the room and tensed for a moment, before relaxing; their son in name entered without pomp, gold eyes sweeping over the room once and then focusing on the circle of blackened stones embedded in the earth.

"All is well, then?" He didn't move to examine the circle more closely, nor did he attempt to take any greater notice of the cauldron his mothers circled rapidly. His interest was not in the preparation, only the results, as he knew no more of the particulars of the Gerdo witches' craft than the average Hylian. Kotake cracked a hard wood spoon against the edge of the stone pot and inhaled huffily.

"Almost, almost time..." Ganondorf tilted his head to one side, eyes drifting back to the circle. The skin of his right hand prickled, and faint uneasiness suffused him for a moment. He focused on it, and the prickling turned into burning, focused entirely on the rightmost triangle of the Triforce. He smirked a little, the expression nearly sympathetic. The Hero was feeling self doubt, and it was building, oh so slowly. The prickling subsided – a sour taste filled his mouth, and lights danced in front of his eyes. He let them fall shut, sighing.

_What?_

_The...shadow..._ Koume and Kotake both threw amulets into the ring of stones and waved the cauldron over. It emptied itself into the shallow well of the circle, where the bizarre muck rose of its own accord and solidified. The ancient hags rattled off some chant in their esoteric tongue, stabbing the soft earth with the ends of their brooms. Strands of pale magic formed shimmery webs in the frame of hardened gunk, blazing with inner luminescence, before every light was stolen, absorbed and molded into a mortal form. Ganondorf strode forward, stopping a foot or so away as the crust shattered and the newly arrived warrior rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck lazily.

"Ganon."

"_Shadow._" He would never be completely easy with the force within him using him as a mouthpiece, but he made no move to silence it or speak out of turn. The shadow raised an eyebrow, red eyes glittering.

"Smarter than the last one you had." He reached out and caught the taller man's chin, jerking him down to eye level. Ganondorf swallowed and tensed his muscles, fighting the urge to strike the shadow for the invasion. Hot breath wafted across his features, and the grip tightened for a breath, then released him.

"Mm...we are separated from our light, and you are bound to your darkness. How _quaint_." The Gerudo king sneered and stepped back.

"Enough of your games, shadow – can you do what I ask?" _Can you follow orders?_

"Can you win this little war of yours?" _Can you stay out of my way? _The younger man growled and turned away, heading back toward the castle. He ignored the sing-song call of the shadow, "You may call me Dark, _my lord_." His mocking giggle mixed chillingly with the smug rumble of the beast within.

* * *

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA FRANCHISE.**

A/N: This is the Shink story I was supposed to create for Z, with the only conditions being Ganondorf had to be a BAMF (...this has never been a problem for me...), Dark had to creep on Link, Navi had to be like a Pran from Aika Online, and Link and Sheik be the primary couple. This doesn't have a plot yet -urg-, but it does have a concept built from the Ascendents I mention at the beginning. This is going to be slow going, but oh freaking well. Belated by about a freaking month happy birthday, Z! XD

Expect slash, maybe gore, Link being sarcastic and suspicious, and Dark defying Ganondorf while Ganondorf struggles with his literal inner demon. Woot.


	2. Defiant

Link dragged his fingers through the fine frost coating the chest, the Master Sword's tip chinking heavily into the ice at his feet. The iridescent walls hurt his eyes, but after so many hours wandering the too-bright caverns, it was the least of his concerns. Navi circled the chest.

"Come on, open it, grab the loot, and let's scram." Link looked up at her and blinked.

"...Scram?" She rolled her eyes at his half bemused, half exasperated expression.

"Come _on_!" He murmured something about her being worse than the giant flies in the Kokiri Forest as he hefted the heavy wooden lid up, fingers curling tightly around the edge to coax some movement from his sluggish blood. Releasing it from his white-knuckled grip, he crouched and leaned forward, eyebrows shooting up.

"Ah..."

"What is it?" Navi dropped into the chest and landed on the tip of one boot, scuffing a bare foot across the dull metallic surface. With a yelp, she shot away from it, startling Link further with a stream of vicious curses.

"Navi! What-"

"Iron!" she snapped, rubbing the soles of her feet in a bizarre pose that made Link's head pound just thinking about how impossible that would be if she couldn't fly. Frowning, he lifted one boot out and almost dropped it, the weight unexpected to his sore muscles. Berating himself for being surprised – _iron_, she'd said – he grabbed the second one and knocked the chest closed, examining the boot in his hand more closely.

Similar in style to his soft leather boots (made in the exact style of Kokiri boots, at a ridiculously larger size), but in a heavier, stiffer material he assumed was also leather. The low heel was weightier than the rest of the boot; Link presumed, given what Navi had said, that it was solid iron. The entire sole and toe were coated in iron that was riveted to what he thought was some sort of layer of wood. Dully shiny, the iron appeared to have been specially treated – for what, Link wasn't sure. Sliding to the floor, he let his muscles go lax, fingers tracing the rivets on the boots lazily.

"You have done well – but if you hoped to find any of the Zoras here, you will be sorely disappointed." The blonde blinked and lurched unsteadily to his feet.

* * *

It took more than mere willpower to keep from assisting the hero as he moved through the cavern; darkness had not truly touched this place, and so Sheik could only barely remain unseen – he sensed the hero saw him more than once and dismissed it as a flight of fancy, but it nevertheless chafed on his pride to have slipped so many times. The final fight proved to almost break his control; never before had he sought to assist Link, and yet he was again caught by the warring emotions; he sought to do as willed, yet he wanted nothing more than to do whatever might help Link _now_, the future and Hyrule bedamned. Only the ease in which the Hylian dispatched the foe settled his rattled nerves. An almost lazy side step, and heavy blow to the spine from above, and the creature was felled. Sheik let himself step out of the shadows, and was greeted by an uncharacteristic smile.

"I thought you might show up." He nodded, mystified by the weary grin. Link wrung his hat out and toed the chest next to him.

"Do you put these in here, or are they a lucky coincidence?" Sheik blinked and stared at the box in question. He'd never considered them before – but as Link implied, they had to have been put there, or at least transported there by some outside force.

"I cannot say I know the origin of chests littered about – I certainly did not place them." He received an arched eyebrow in reply, and mentally kicked himself. Straightening, he began to speak again, but by chance met Link's eyes and found no words willing to come to his mouth. Swallowing, he looked away.

"What? No cryptic, poetic lesson to push me through the next temple?" His skin prickled and burned; his mouth was flooded with a bitter taste, but he ignored it. His silence seemed to unnerve the hero more than his usual antics.

"Sheik-"

"I am sorry," he blurted, cutting off the hero, his blunt nails digging into his palms as he clenched his hands into fists. The hero's expression twisted; confusion and concern – for him? – warred for control of his features. Navi, temporarily pulled from her own woes, chimed a question.

"For what?" Link nodded, eyes never leaving Sheik's. He struggled to inhale – the scant shadows were pressing down on him, curling around his throat and choking out his voice.

_Do not speak of it. _

"Sheik?" Now he sounded alarmed. Wonderful. He would have kicked himself if the proposed action weren't physically impossible for him and he need air, dammit! Forcing a choked growl, he shook his head and stepped back, unclenching his muscles and exhaling. The Hero of Time's eyes were wide, reflecting the prismatic shimmers cascading from the walls.

"It – was nothing," Sheik breathed, struggling to regain his composure. "I suppose I feel I should accompany you. Your point regarding my assistance, or lack thereof, is sound." _What am I doing? Foolish Sheikah, you will gain nothing by following this route! _Link's eyes sparkled with surprise, and then his expression relaxed, and his smile returned, slightly sheepish now.

"About that – I was tired. I didn't mean anything by it – or, I mean, I didn't-" he trailed off, his sheepishness growing. Sheik fought the urge to flinch. _No, no, don't feel guilty, you have every right to resent me – you _should _resent me. _"You need not apologize to me," he whispered instead, letting his eyes fall. The two men stood static, and even Navi seemed to cease all motion, the darkness growing heavy and wrathful behind Sheik, though neither fairy nor Hylian could sense it. Eyes fluttering, Sheik shook himself mentally and said, "A song for you – an instrument of reflection, for against the trials ahead of you, nothing but peace within will guide you to victory."

* * *

Link followed the melody stiffly, mind racing. What had just happened? His skin had been too warm, far too warm, given the icy clime, and he'd apologized! The man before him was some sort of paradoxically shifting stone, ever changing but resistant to the erosion of wind and rain. He was impossible – and now he offered to help? He didn't like this uncertainty; he was already floundering in a body that was both his own and alien to him, struggling in a time he did not belong to, and fighting a foe much greater than he. He didn't need the complication of some overly theatrical supposed Sheikah to throw another wrench in this mad quest!

But he haunted him; one of the shadowed people of legend, as mysterious and enigmatic as the ancient Sage of Light and twice as infuriating. Something twinged in Link's chest whenever the man appeared; first the sensation had been of sorrow and fear, and rage that this man could have, perhaps, somehow intervened on Saria's behalf when Ganondorf's forces captured the Forest Temple. Without proof, he shoved those feelings aside and pressed on.

Then again, in the Death Mountain Crater, faced with the quiet force, he'd sought to assign some label to his feelings. The words of friendship, the unspoken promise to be there – or perhaps he'd overthought it, misinterpreted simple guidance. Frustration rolled through him.

Now the man offered to help – and he was loathe to agree. His original pleasure at seeing a familiar face had soured; the man may have saved Ruto, as he said, but he was still an unknown variable, a danger so far as Link was concerned. He aspired to remove all thought from the topic of the Sheikah – let him help if he wished, but Link wasn't going to put forth the invitation.

The Sheikah seemed to sense his reticence, and didn't bother repeating his offer; their final notes were brittle together, the effect weaker than before.

"Return to Zora's Domain and free the King – he will give you the assistance you need to enter the Water Temple." With an unprecedented half-bow, he stepped back and cast the Deku Nut between them; Link, so used to it now, didn't even flinch when it impacted and the man disappeared.

Navi, on the other hand...

"Can't he find _any _other way of doing that! Honestly, we don't care how he gets to and from! Farore eat his left boot!" Smothering his laugh with a cough, Link peeled off his damp Kokiri boots and tugged on the iron ones, testing them carefully. Walking was a trial – he wouldn't be doing much of it, he figured – but the weight and the convenient pit of water offered some insight into their use.

"Well, into the water then!" Navi crowed brightly, her joy almost vicious. Rolling his eyes, he did as she insisted, clomping to the edge and sliding in. Immediately he sank; Navi's burbled warning about the dangers of drowning in his ears, he inched forward until Navi shot up and out of the water. Taking her cue, he struggled to pull the boots off, his brain beginning to filter panic signals to the rest of his body as oxygen became scarce. With barely a breath left in him, he struggled to the surface and pulled himself free with a choked gasp, coughing up what liquid he'd managed to take in as he hurled the boots up onto dry land and heaved himself up next to them.

"Oh _joy_," he breathed, chest heaving. "_That's _what I'm going to have to do for an entire Goddess forsaken _temple_." Navi clucked her tongue at him; he flopped onto his back and ignored her. The King could wait – he'd been there for Goddesses only knew how long, a few more minutes wouldn't hurt him.

* * *

The massive Zora king didn't seem to remember Link as his intended son-in-law-to-be, but he apparently recognized his intentions well enough to give him a Zora tunic. Made of some water-shedding material, slick with scale-like armor and laced with enchantments he could practically feel beneath his fingertips, it promised to be more useful than the damn boots.

"Well, it's off to the temple then?" Navi asked as he shrugged into the tunic, fishing his last bottle of blue fire from his Kokiri tunic and transferring it to his pocket.

"Not yet. I think I want to visit that Ghost Merchant first." Navi blinked.

"What? You said he was creepy – besides, we know what happened to the Zoras now." Link shrugged, padding down the cold stone hall toward the solitary Zora shop.

"I'm not looking for information about the Zoras – I want to know about Sheik." Uncorking the bottle, he carefully tossed the fire onto the wall of ice, idly wondering _how _in Farore's name that was even possible. Navi squeaked.

"What? Link, who cares?" He looked up at her.

"Navi, Impa was supposed to be the last of the Sheikah – everyone and their mother's aunt knew that. Now, with seven years passed and Ganondorf in power, another one appears, with no explanation as to who sent him or why he's helping me?" The fairy drifted on an errant breeze, biting her lower lip.

"But Link..." she trailed off when she saw his expression; nothing was going to sway him from his decision. Sighing, she landed on his shoulder.

"Fine. I don't think this is necessary, but fine. Your quest, do it how you want to." Link rolled his eyes.

"Glad you see things my way," he drawled, setting a brisk pace from the Domain.

* * *

"Fallen." _How glad am I to see all of you_, Sheik allowed sarcastically to flit through his mind, knowing full well they could see every thought. The masks, angular and snarling now, thundered with every movement.

"A darkness moves within – the Hero's shadow draws breath and seeks his light." Sheik froze, pain rolling through him.

_Dark. _No. No, this wasn't possible, this wasn't happening – Ganondorf didn't have the power to summon him-

"But the witches do." _No._ Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he met the unholy chasms that were the eyes of each mask.

"What would you have me do?" Thunder rang around him again, and the masks spun, their mouths dropping open in silent howls.

"You will do nothing, Fallen!" Their roar shook him, sent hot lances of lightning through his bones and slammed him to his knees.

"You seek ever to defy us. One would think you would be grateful for our mercy, but one can see this is not to be. You are not to leave this shadowed realm. Another will aid the Hero." The gaping mouths clashed closed, the sound a gong in the darkness.

"Dismissed, Fallen." He exhaled weakly, his chest aching.

"As you wish, Ascendants..."

* * *

Cool air rushed around him; his upturned face caught the brunt of the playful wind, and he allowed a smile. The expression sharpened abruptly with the sound of footsteps behind him, and his lips drew back to reveal teeth.

"My lord. Such uncanny timing. I am to depart for this temple you say he will be seeking to purify soon." Ganondorf didn't reply, attentions focused inward. The Beast howled and writhed; it craved blood, it demanded power, and he had no more to give. Something danced across his skin, and he jerked back at the nearly electric sensation; Dark chuckled.

"Tsa, poor thing. I offer you what you require and you shun me." He tightened his jaw at the mocking grin.

"I require nothing from you, shadow," he murmured, reigning his molten rage in. He would need that energy soon, and could not afford to waste it on one petulant demon. The maniacal giggle rang sharp and clear in the misty morning.

"You require _everything _from me, from my light, and from his beloved Princess. Wisdom and courage will give you the power you lust for, the power you desperately crave, and I? I will be free again." He sighed dreamily, red eyes half-lidded.

"Such a day will come," Ganondorf conceded, eyeing him warily. This ever moving, ever bending, twisting, insatiable creature was nothing like the darkness within him – he feared it even more. It was more dangerous than the demon he'd been born to – more dangerous even than the foe he would one day have to face.

_Soon_. The sullen snarl of Ganon made the veins on his neck stand out against his skin – the Beast even took a toll on his body now. Again, the electrical sensation, but now Dark did not release his jaw when he took a hold of it, gently easing him down to eye level even as he had forced him to upon their first meeting. Hot breath washed across his face again, and red eyes bored into gold.

"Mm. A gift, my liege." He jerked back in alarm when hot lips glanced across his own; pain shot through his skull, and he gasped, shuddering in surprise when the Beast howled and retreated sharply, burrowing deeper, farther from his conscious mind than ever before. The shadow twirled away, toward the wavering portal Koume and Kotake had created for him to enter the Water Temple.

"_And the old king sleeps, and the fish don't stir, and the curtains of water close over the old Zora door. Oh sleeping king, your country stirs; oh sullen waters, fear no more. A hero waits, he sits and waits, and no more darkness shall you sate. That power lust, that loss of trust, struck down by righteous light. Oh joy of kings, wish of queens, a lyric of legend, of true Hylian wings._" The song arched over them in Dark's gleeful high tones, the voice he took on to irritate the Gerudo lord so unlike his true, raw tones.

"Soon," he echoed the demon softly as the shadow darted into the portal and it shuddered shut, crumbling to dust behind him.

"Soon..."

* * *

Ragged cloths hung over a long dead eye that traced the door frame from afar. Above, the false wind of angry spirits swirled across him, stirring dust across the pottery shards. He was soon to arrive, it sensed – but not yet. No, first it would see to this delightfully guilt-ridden creature, with his foolish dreams and shattered hope.

"You would offer me this?" it crooned, deadwood fingers curling around the soft metal of the harp. The bowed head lifted, and his red gaze locked with its own burning eye.

"Yes," he murmured, eyes dropping from it and darting around the room. A laugh boiled up in its chest, and it doubled over in its mirth, the sound ringing bitter and hollow in the old room.

"These shadows cast are false, Fallen," it wheezed, its laughter robbing it of its liquid tones.

"You needn't fear them." Red eyes returned to it, drifting to the harp. Clutching it in one rotting hand, it plucked a jaunty little tune, the sound hideously off-key, deadened by the malevolent air around it. Another hacking laugh ripped through the room.

"A pretty thing – not unlike you," it hissed, single eye widening with glee when his form stiffened, but he did not rise to its bait.

"Not entirely useless, eh? So you will have your freedom!" It cast the harp away from it, into the false shadows it had created, and flung its arms out, rising from its perch. The lantern shivered and swayed in that Poe-formed wind, and the creature exhaled a fog of red. The man rose, as if to flee, but made no real motion to the door.

"Breathe," it whispered, almost singsong now. "Breathe it in, Fallen – and have your desired freedom." He hesitated – teetered between fleeing and moving forward – and then pressed on, stepping into the fog and inhaling as ordered. Immediately the fog rushed into him, and he choked, sinking to his knees with a strangled cry. It shuddered and howled, curling in on itself even as the fog sank completely into his skin. Hissing exhales filled the room, expelled from its chest like some sort of death rattle.

"Begone then! Take your wretched freedom," it gasped, pain wracking its deadwood and mort flesh body. The man stumbled back, shivers wracking his body.

"Go!" it screeched, flinging the lantern; the crystal shattered and Poes swamped the weakened man, screaming and wailing in bitter triumph. Gasping an oath, he twisted the few true shadows and disappeared.

It lingered, breathing slowly steadying. Slowly, it forced its dead eye open; both blazed red, and a voice no longer wracked with bizarre spirits echoed in the room.

"We are close, lover...closer still to our victory..."

* * *

A/N: I think...I broke my brain. XD The ghost merchant dude is creepy. CREEPY, I SAY! But I like it. ...XD

Um, I so had something to say. ...Screw that. WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT? WHAT HAS DARK DONE TO GANONDORF? WHAT AWAITS LINK WITH THE GHOST MERCHANT? WHAT HAS SHEIK DONE? ...Find out next time. -cue thrown objects of varying fatality it they were to impact-  
-smirks- R&R. Imma get right on that next chapter. -ONWARDS!-

WAIT -still R&R, my brain is currently running on Glee, Once Upon A Time, and no sleep- I REMEMBER NOW. Speaking of OUaT - Dark is a little bit like Rumplestiltskin when he giggles, in case anyone can't fathom the sound. XD


	3. A Fool's Pains

He was met with a blast of a warm, moist air across his face as Epona leaned forward to nuzzle him. Laughing, he pushed her away and pushed himself onto dry land, shaking himself off like a dog.

"Hey, girl." She snorted and butted her head against his chest. Navi clambered onto the top of her head, ignoring the ear flick of irritation she received from the horse.

"Alright! Let's go visit the creepy Ghost Merchant!" He swung up into Epona's saddle, rolling his eyes at the fairy as he kneaded her into a walk.

"What are you so excited about? You think he's as creepy as I do." Navi twisted to face him and shrugged, clutching at Epona's mane.

"Soon as we get this over with, we're off to the Temple. The sooner we finish the temples and awaken the Sages, the sooner we can kick Ganondorf's sorry butt and go home." Epona whinnied as if in agreement; Link just laughed.

"I'm sure Ganondorf would be delighted to know what you think of him," he teased, eyes sparkling. Navi snorted.

"Ganondorf can eat-" she stopped, looking at the sky.

"You know what? I'm not having this conversation with you," she snapped, twirling back around while Link laughed all the louder.

* * *

Their mirth dissolved as they neared the castle; Link led Epona to the clearing to the right of the town, tying her to the withered tree near the stream. Navi bobbed overhead, shading her eyes against sunlight to eye the circle of clouds that seemed to darken only the sky around Castle Town.

"Unnatural," she muttered. Link looked over his shoulder at the shattered drawbridge, shadowed and all the sadder for it. His scalp prickled, and something had him on edge.

"Navi, stay here." She whirled and gaped at him.

"What! No! I can't-"

"Stay. Here." he enunciated each word carefully, the shiver of fear glancing down his spine making him almost dizzy.

"If I need you, you'll know. The ReDeads don't come this close to the entrance, and the Ghost Merchant isn't big on sunlight either, I'd guess. Just stay." He caught her defiant expression and whispered, "Please?"

She stopped, eyeing him warily. She knew he wasn't telling her something, and that was at odds with her trust of his instincts. They shared a silent conversation acknowledging that and his insistence on her remaining outside, and finally her wings fluttered and she slumped back onto Epona's neck.

"Fine – but if anything happens to you, so help me Farore-" He cut her off by scooping her up and placing a haphazard kiss on her head, ignoring her shriek about mussing her hair.

"I'll be back before you know it – but if something does happen, I'll play the Sun's Song. Consider that your cue to come get me," he offered as a weak joke, trying not to flinch under her glare.

"You had better," she snapped, settling back into Epona's mane and beginning her campaign of ignoring him to make sure he definitely knew she was UnHappy with him. Shaking his head at her antics, he strode toward the entrance to Castle Town, the sensation of wrongness growing with each step.

* * *

The town, abandoned save for the reanimated corpses looming between him and the castle, always had that feeling, to a point, but something was different now. He sped up; the distance between him and the weird little storage area seemed impossibly large. He was amazed his skin wasn't on alight, it was burning so much, and that stifling sense of utter wrongness was began to weigh heavily on him. The moans of the ReDeads were strangely soft – his ears were ringing. Forcing the old door open, he slipped inside and stopped to reorient himself, eyes darting around the smoky darkness.

"Look who decided to stop by, pretties – our very own _hero_," snaked out of the shadows, the voice sharp and completely different from the breathy, dripping tones he remembered before. Unconsciously, he shifted into a fighting ready stance and began to reach for his sword. A sharp lash of light zipped across the room and across his hand; he yelped and snatched it away from the Master Sword's hilt, cradling it while hissing expletives.

"Tsk. I would expect more gracious behavior from someone seeking information." Link gritted his teeth and curled his blistered hand into his tunic, straightening.

"How do you know I'm here for information? I could just be delivering this," he held up the bottle he'd brought with him to the scant light. Another tendril of light shot out of the darkness, but now he anticipated it; a sidestep and easy jump onto one of the upper platforms allowed him to avoid its grasp.

"Hmm...clever boy. Give me the ghost and we'll talk like civilized beings, shall we?" He dropped from his perch and strode forward, tossing the merchant the bottle; a hand blazing with light snatched it from the air and brought it up to the merchant's shrouded face.

"Ah," it hissed, the sound pleased.

"A Big Poe. Such skill that is required to capture one..." It hummed and leaned forward.

"Come closer, Link." He remained rooted on the spot, and the liquid laugh met his ears.

"So lovely, so defiant. Yours is pleasurable company," it purred, the disembodied hand of light uncorking and emptying the Poe into the cage above the merchant, before tossing the bottle back to Link. He caught it deftly, his eyes never leaving the merchant.

"I will give you the information you seek, then – a fair trade is in order," it continued, apparently unfazed by his refusal to approach.

"You would ask after this...Sheik," his name was an exhale, breathy and dreamy.

"A being unlike any other – struck from the records of his people for a betrayal like no other, named Fallen by his ancient order, and bound to the shadows he so loathes to serve the light." The laugh again, chilling and insidious.

"But he is free now – a fair trade was in order," it murmured, shifting forward. The light caught a glint of red beneath the ragged funeral shroud; Link felt the burning shift to freezing under his skin, gold and red lights swirling behind his eyes. The light hand caught the front of his tunic and dragged him forward. Helpless to the dizzying lights and paralyzing cold, he stared as the deadwood hands pushed the hood away to reveal the face.

Mutilated, a third of the flesh replaced with burnt wood, one lidless eye blazing out of the darkness with manic focus. The other eye, unfocused and foggy, but no less bright, wheeled and spun, gold and red bleeding together over the pupil. It grinned liplessly, waxen skin pulling away from its gaping, tongueless mouth and chipped teeth.

"What a pretty face," it crooned, and Link reacted at last. Smashing his hand forward, he felt the wood crunch beneath his fist. The howl ripped through his head, echoed in his mind, and sent him crashing to his knees. Blood ran from his nose, and a glancing touch to one ear came away bloody as well. Disembodied hands formed of light unfurled around the merchant, and it lunged at the fallen hero. Link would have screamed if he had the breath, would have rolled away if his muscles hadn't locked, but he could no more flee than he could sink into the oblivion of unconsciousness, with that scream still playing over in his mind.

"A fair trade, Fallen," it laughed, yanking its prize to it.

"A fair trade indeed!"

* * *

The wave of nausea hit first, then the bone deep agony that seemed to shatter him. He couldn't see past the red fog over his vision, but he could hear the merchant's laugh – his voice, stolen and turned hollow by a soulless beast he couldn't even begin to fathom. Whimpering, Sheik stumbled back, struggling to find an end to the darkness around him.

_Stupid, stupid boy! Worthless! You will never amount to anything more than a failure – a traitor to our ways, to your blood! _Raking his nails across the solid surface, he kicked the memories back and forced himself to breath.

_Stop it, Sheik. You are an adept of darkness, you can free yourself from this – you _must. He nodded without thinking, and a bitter laugh, harsh and hacking, bubbled up from his stomach. Tamping it down, he turned his mind to the darkness.

"A fair trade, Fallen!" He jerked away from it, stunned. His voice, the merchant's words – what trade? Their deal was done, though he had not anticipated it would go so wrong-

Cold metal under bandaged fingers. His fingers curled around the harp of their own accord, and a chill shot down his spine. If the creature hadn't taken the harp, then what-

A cry rent the air, and the fog was ripped from his vision. His stomach roiled.

Link. The shadows blasted away from him, the haze leeched from his skin to hang in the air above him. Around him, shambling corpses groaned and stared unseeing into the distance – smoke and rotting flesh battled for dominance of the air he breathed. Gagging, he pushed to his feet and stumbled into a run, ignoring the grasping hands in his headlong dash for the front of town. He wove the darkness as he went, armor melting onto his body, weapons growing sharp and bright in his hands. The door was ajar – he blasted it away and skidded across the shattered crockery and blood slippery floor. He blanched.

Whose blood? His eyes found them immediately; light bound the limp hero to the leeching creature, his life force seeming to dissipate before Sheik's very eyes.

"Link!" Not his voice – no, too bright, too sharp! His armor and weapons turned to dust in the face of the impossibly bright light, the cry of anger lingering in the air.

"Let _go_!" He gaped as Navi slammed into the merchant, the sheer force of her innate power tearing his papery constructs to pieces and severing the bond with Link. The hero toppled to the floor; the merchant howled and backhanded the fairy away from him, the force flinging her into the wall. The Poes wavered and whined; Sheik felt dizziness creeping through him again. He grasped at the shadows and found no quarter; the merchant's shrieked cackle sent another wave of unease and dizzying vertigo through him.

"Too late, little fairy, to stop me! So close though – such a faithful _friend_. What friend could have let him come to me alone?" It shook the robes from its body and stepped into the pool of bloody light.

"At last," it breathed.

"All this power – mine!"

"_Cease, fool. Your power is but a shadow of the truth of the Goddesses." _He could have wept at those cold voices, the impassive enamel masks, smooth ovals of white with mere blackened slits for eyes and mouth, the sweep of sheer darkness through the room.

"_Begone," _they intoned, and it screamed – sobbed, clawed at the air and begged for mercy. Link stirred beneath it, blue eyes fluttering open as the light devoured it from within; Sheik felt his own eyes fall shut and could only smile.

A fool he had been, a fool he still was.

* * *

Ganondorf started; the shift of power was almost audible, a weak popping in his 'ears'. He waited for the rumble of Ganon, the pleased or displeased growl, and found only silence. Uneasy, he shifted his attention to the new absence. The creature in the marketplace – it had offered him its congratulations with his rise to power, and settled into its business of trapping restless souls. It hadn't bothered him or interfered with his plans, and so he had bothered little with it, but something had vanquished it.

This was concerning; that thing, whatever it had been, had not been some weak power amidst greater ones. Ganondorf had thought it might have challenged him, if not for Ganon's influence. Sending a tendril of power out, he sought the source of the obliteration.

The sour air of malice he'd cultivated had been torn; some weird, calm force pulsed within the Ghost Merchant's little abode – familiar to him. He couldn't put his finger on just what-

His magic recoiled as if of its own accord; around him, marble crumbled and glass melted under the force of the whiplash. Hissing oaths, he tore his consciousness from the area, eyes wide.

Sheikah – not of the modern line, but of the ancient one, the very beings rumored to be somehow Goddess-born. His ears rang with the force of the blow – not technically physical but enough so to cause him to become dizzy in the aftermath. Shaking away the discomfort, he rose and stalked from the opulent room, seeking his mothers. If this magic was what he thought it was, he needed to accelerate his plans – he could not allow those thrice-damned wraiths to interfere when he was so close, so close he could almost taste his goal, that yearned freedom from this...this-

He stopped and swallowed hard. The boiling rage of Ganon had subsided in the face of whatever the shadow had done to him, but he would not rely on this false calm. He didn't even know what had been done, he would be a fool to place his faith in gilt-bright promises. The low burning in his hand increased threefold in a breath, then subsided sharply. Something had happened to the hero.

A mixture of unease and faint guilt mixed in his gut as he began to approach his mothers' domain. Yes, the hero was his enemy, all but born to defeat him, but it was not as if he could deny the bond between them, the three Chosen. He sensed the others had none of his recognition of that bond; he suffered it alone. Now and then he toyed with punishing them, in his rare moments of true hate for this madcap quest they were bound to – one to save, one because he had no choice, and one in search of salvation-

Again he shook himself and shoved the circular thoughts away. He would not fall prey to Ganon's insidious bloodlust – his cravings were for power and the stability it could bring, he had little regard for human life, or death, in this case. He could almost hear Nabooru's lectures of honor in the face of the cruelty and foolishness of their enemies – could have sworn he felt the lashes delivered with each lesson. Tightening his shoulders, he pushed into the magic-laden realm of his mothers, turning his mind from himself and his torturous thoughts. Until this damn game came to its head, he had to stay focused.

If not, he would fail.

* * *

Peeling her wings from her body, Navi forced herself to flutter them, the motion weak and painful. Silvery blood mixed with sweat; shivering as cold wind tore at her meager clothing, she tripped her way across the dark room to where Link lay.

"Link? Hey, come on – wake up, kid," she whispered, laying her hands on his cheek. His lashes, dark against his too pale skin, formed some sort of macabre crescent that seemed bloody one his cheek. His skin was icy; blood crusted under his nostrils and down one side of his face, from his ear. Swallowing hard, she tugged on one limp, sweat drenched lock of hair.

"Wake up. Wake up, wake up, wake up." She stumbled over her words when his face contorted and he groaned, curling in on himself. Tears pricking at her eyes, she curled her fingers around one of his and began to sing Saria's Song as softly as she could, fear clamping down on her heart when he seemed to sink further into unconsciousness.

"_You defied us." _Swallowing a yelp, she whipped around, stance defensive despite the fact that she could barely defend herself, let alone her tormented partner.

But the words weren't directed at her. The crumpled form she recognized vaguely as being Sheik – the same form she shot past in her haste to save Link, she realized – shifted and coughed. Red eyes glinted with tears as they stared up through pale bangs at the shrouded beings surrounding him.

"I wanted to help him-"

"_You defied us and endangered the Order, Fallen!" _The first lash of black veined light tore the bandages from his face and left a bloody welt; the second ripped across his chest. His choked cry twisted at the fairy's heart, and then she was moving without thinking, flinging herself between the battered Sheikah and the wrathful spirits.

"Stop! He was only trying to help us! _Stop_ it, Farore damn you!" The whip barely disintegrated before it hit her; she still flinched as black dust whipped into her eyes.

"_This is no concern of yours, Naviyu Kokiri. Return to the Hero. He stirs." _She clenched her jaw, eyes darting between Link, who did seem to be waking, and Sheik, curled in on himself and shaking.

"N-Navi – Sheik?" The fairy swallowed and forced herself into the air upon sensing the rush of energy through her partner, the rush that only came when he thought someone was in need of him.

"Sheik!" The Sheikah recoiled when the bloodied Hero forced past the shadowed spirits and sank down beside him, catching his hand in a bloody, clammy grip.

"What happened-"

"_Cease this!" _Navi gasped in pain; the metallic thunder of their voices cut and deafened all at once. Impassive ovals morphed into etched, jagged faces, hard geometric forms that seemed to be screaming silently overhead. Link hissed and pressed himself closer to Sheik, shaking fingers grasping weakly at the Master Sword's hilt. Sheik stirred and knocked his hand away, struggling to sit up, ignoring Link's strangled gasp at the state of his face and chest.

"Stop, stop! Just – let them go. I'll do anything, just-" He could sense their frayed patience dissolving faster and faster; fear curled around his heart as he tried to force Link and Navi away, voice harsh but now his own, thank the Goddesses.

"I will accept any punishment." Those gaping void eyes narrowed, and the roars turned to snarls.

"_Your insolence knows no bounds, Fallen," _they hissed as one, pale hands fanning out around him.

"_You will _accept_ any punishment? As if you have a choice! You are no longer worthy of any title – you are nothing less than Exiled!" _He cringed and swallowed a gasp of terror – no, he'd been so close, he'd almost found redemption.

"N-no-" he couldn't even control the weak objection, falling from his lips without his consent. He could almost feel it when their patience snapped, the hair-thin thread obliterated. Lashes rained down on him, tearing his flesh to ribbons and letting streams of red/blue/silver blood course over the floor.

"_Stop!_" His vision had gone hazy, but the Master Sword's regal light cut through it nevertheless. The Ascendants screamed as one and disappeared with ear-rending cracks; black dust poured from the air they'd inhabited, choking the small room with its scent of rotting flowers. Sheik convulsed, his mind at odds with himself; gratitude for Link, innate horror at the idea that he'd _attacked _the Ascendants, and pain, so much pain.

His mind wrenched control from him and all went black, and for once he welcomed the darkness.

* * *

Epona's head whipped up at the sound of the song; she stamped and twisted, biting through the old leather strap Link had bound her to the tree with and thundering to the massive stone walls, seeking out her friend.

He was all but crumpled under the weight of the other being; the bright one chimed with weary concern and thinly veiled relief when she trotted up, forcing herself to his side so he could curl his fingers into her saddle and pull himself upright.

"Hey, girl..." He coughed and doubled over, still clinging to the saddle. Epona whickered with worry and stood still, trying to exude some strength for him.

"She's very loyal, isn't she..." Liquid brown eyes locked onto the other form, and immediate distrust bloomed in her mind; what was this being, and what had it down to her master? The bright one landed on her head and tapped her between the eyes.

"Hey, Epona – stop it. We need you to get Malon – we can get to the crossroads, maybe, but I doubt any of us can get much further." Epona shook her free and snorted, eyes narrowed on the weird creature beside her master.

_Fine, bright one. Help my master. I will go. _Whether or not the bright one heard, she waited until her master could support himself, before wheeling and galloping to the warm wooden walls – home.

* * *

Malon barely bit back a cry of surprise when a panicked Epona came galloping into the corral, whinnying and butting against her, hard, trying to propel her toward the entrance of the ranch. Ingo and her father came from the barn to see what was going, equally surprised and even alarmed by the mare's vehemence.

"What – Epona, stop! What is it? Is – is it Link?" The horse stamped and whinnied again, pushing against her furiously. The last shove almost sent her toppling over; grabbing onto the mare's reigns, Malon jerked her to a halt and pulled herself into the saddle.

"Papa, follow me with the wagon – Ingo, find my kit in the house and prepare for guests," she barely managed to get out before Epona whirled and hurtled toward the high wall. Her heart almost leapt from her chest when the horse propelled them into the air and over the wall, landing with impossible grace and flying into a gallop toward the castle. Fear and adrenaline stole her breath, but now she could see – two people, and Navi, somewhat less bright than usual, several yards from the crossroads sign.

"Link!"

* * *

They almost fell under their combined weights and pains; Navi's weak encouragement could only help them so far.

"Link!" The blonde warrior stumbled against Sheik and hissed in pain and apology, eyes glancing out over the road. A cloud of dust – Epona and Malon? Shaking, he readjusted his slick grip on Sheik's waist, hugging the nearly comatose Sheikah close.

"Stay awake, Sheik," he murmured, pulling them a few more feet forward.

"Just stay awake for me. Focus on my voice." The other man's eyes fluttered, but didn't open.

"Oh Goddesses – what happened!" Malon almost fell from the horse, untying the leather pouch she always wore and fishing bandages from her apron's pockets.

"No, no, don't talk," she hushed, pressing a hand to Link's mouth.

"Lay him down and sit down yourself – you look like you might keel over in nary a moment!" He winced, not wanting to deal with her sharpened country accent and colloquialisms just now. Dizzy, he carefully lowered Sheik to the ground and stumbled, falling into a sort of seated position himself. Navi slumped onto his shoulder as Malon poured water over their wounds, trying to clean them as well as she could with so few supplies.

"Papa will be here with a wagon before you know it. Just hang on you two. Just hang on a little bit longer..." Link shuddered and slumped forward, eyelids drooping. Malon's soothing voice lulled him, little by little, further and further, until oblivion claimed him.

* * *

A/N: Whoo-hoo! ...Poor Link. Poor Sheik. Poor -maybe- Ganondorf. So! Dark won't be back until they get to the Water Temple, and by then...I might have broken the game by then. XD

No, that's not the end of the Ascendants, and no, Sheik's not done wallowing in self-pity just yet, but oh-ho, he's about to get a wake up call. -maniacal cackling-

On a less plot-related note, I spelled colloquialisms on my first try! -absurdly proud of that-

Similarly almost unrelated note, I like this Malon. XD

So. How'd y'all (all y'all?) like it? R&R, and see/write you at the next installment of By Night My Sun!

-Roc out.


End file.
